Getting ready for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day cooking. One daughter works both days and the other is leaving for Europe Christmas night so all the cooking (and eating) has to fit in around those schedules.

Christmas Eve (sit down dinner)

• Ginger Ham from Nigella: recipe found here.
• Mashed potatoes and country gravy
• Sweet Potato Spoon Custard from Spoonbread and Strawberry Wine cookbook by the Darden Sisters. (My copy is so old and so well used it is actually in pieces and I have to keep it in a ziploc bag)
• Oven roasted parsnips
• Brussels and Chestnuts:  recipe from here.  (First time making this at the request of my daughter.  She had it in France and really liked it.)
• Saveur retake on the green bean casserole: recipe found here. (a family favorite from the Saveur cookbook)
• Fresh Pineapple
• Parker Rolls (dough made in the bread machine)
• Buttermilk Biscuits (trying Alton Brown’s this year)
• Desserts:  Jack Daniels  Cake – adapted from Maida Heatter’s The Original Kentucky Whiskey Cake; Old-fashioned Coconut Cake from Maida Heatter; Jammy Tarts; Christmas cookies

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays and time with their friends and family!